The court heard that Keene, 32, and 28-year-old Gaby, who was studying for a PhD at the University of Bath, had been having difficulties in their relationship, but despite this were planning to get married in her native Mexico this autumn.

Giving evidence, Keene said that throughout their two-and-a-half year relationship they had constantly switched from being incredibly happy and planning a future together to heated arguments where Gaby would threaten to leave.

On the day of Gaby's death, Keene had taken part in the Bath Boules tournament in Queen Square with his financial services firm Advance Investments.

The pair exchanged a series of text messages throughout the day which ended with her telling him he was not welcome to come home that night, she did not want to be with him any more and he would not see his daughter again.

Keene, who had spent the evening with friends in town, made his way home at around 10.30pm, while his best friend Ben Jones and two others went to Bath railway station to catch a train back to Chippenham.

When he arrived at the flat the row between the pair quickly developed, with a tearful Gaby phoning Mr Jones to ask him to collect his friend because she did not want him in the house.

Mr Jones apologised but said there was nothing he could do because the train was already moving out of the station and the phone cut off shortly after that.

However, Gaby phoned him back and left a harrowing eight-minute voicemail at 10.46pm which has been played in court and records Keene telling her "I'm going to end up in prison because you will be dead".